Ludum Dare 27: Post Mortem

Fleeting Reality

tl;dr I liked the look and atmosphere of my game. I hated everything else, or lack thereof. I’m currently making a post jam version that is completely different.

Fleeting Reality was my second attempt at Ludum Dare. I think I learnt a lot more from this one.

What went right?

– Graphics:
I liked what I created in the time, and I made a lot more that I never used.

– Atmosphere
The limited sounds and camera distortions created a semi creepy atmosphere I was aiming for.

What went wrong?

– Mechanics:
The mechanics worked in my mind, I translated them horribly. I didn’t give the player clear enough instructions either.

– Music:
If you’ve played the “game” (don’t if you haven’t not worth it) you’ll notice there is no music. I actually spent around 3 hours trying to record and edit eery piano music. My mic was screwing up for the first couple of hours then I decided it really didn’t fit the game at all.

– No fun:
The game simply was tedious to play. Part of this is not getting solid mechanics. Also I forced the theme into the game too much.

Tips for myself for next Ludum Dare.

– Find the fun, before anything else.
– Code more, draw less.
– Be better with tools.
– Invest in a midi keyboard and/or learn to make music on computer.

POST JAM VERSION

So as I said I like the atmosphere. I made a lot of assets so I’m currently making a post jam version.

Everything is different, everything.

First 10 seconds will be a thing of the past, sorry theme but you gotta go.

Next you won’t actually control the patient directly. There will be two forces of “unreality” trying to manipulate the reality of the room. The player and the computer. Reality will slowly crumble. You need to manipulate the player to make your version of reality victorious.

The patient is meant to be creepy insane, so I thought having the player actually controlling him ruins the concept. The gameplay is a lot more involved.